Chapter 2 - Psychological Research Flashcards
Scientific Method
Question -> Hypothesis -> Test -> Conclude -> Construct/modify theory -> Develop new research questions
Population
a complete group of organisms
sample
part of a population, representative of the population
generalize
the ability to apply findings from a sample to the population
random selection (the ideal method)
everyone in the target population has an equal chance of being chosen
Convenience samples
consists of individuals who are most accessible (Disadvantage: sample may not represent target population)
Two classes of studies:
Non-experimental, experimental
Non-experimental study
lacks manipulation of variables; e.g. surveys, observation, etc.
Experimental study
manipulate one variable to see the effect
Independent variable
variable manipulated
Dependent variable
measurable result or outcome
The only method to determine cause & effect
Experimental method
Correlation
statistical association between two variables (positive, negative, or zero)
Positive correlation
two variables move in same direction - i.e. increase or decrease together
Negative Correlation
variables move in opposite directions
zero correlation
two variables have NO relationship at all
CORRELATION DOES NOT IMPLY
CAUSATION
informed consent
participants must be informed of their rights, risks, nature of study
Debriefing
subjects are informed of misconceptions after study
Deductive reasoning
hypothesis -> empirical evidence -> conclusion
Inductive reasoning
evidence of something -> hypothesis -> then tested through deduction
Inter-rater reliability
comparing observations made by different observers
Longitudinal research
testing same group of individuals repeatedly over extended period of time
Cross-sectional research
researcher compares multiple segments of population at the same time
Attrition rates
reduction in number of participants due to dropouts
Correlation coefficient
number from -1 to 1 that indicates the strength & direction of correlation
